IF you’ve noticed your locks beginning to thin out, it’s time to take action.
A hair expert revealed the two most common causes of thinning and how to tackle them.
Trichologist Sophia Emmanuel spoke to The U.S. Sun about the common reasons behind female hair loss.
She explained that a variety of factors can contribute to the problem, including certain medications, nutritional deficiencies, hormones, genetics, and some medical conditions.
However, Emmanuel shared that the two most common reasons for hair loss in women are genetics and a disturbance in the body.
In terms of genetics, the expert revealed that Androgenetic alopecia, also known as female or male pattern hair loss, is the most common condition.
“Androgenetic alopecia is hereditary and can be triggered by hormones and genetics,” she said.
She explained that hair loss may also be a result of sensitivity to testosterone.
According to Emmanuel, female pattern thinning can show a gradual decline in the hair at the head’s temples, front, and crown.
She explained that these are known as terminal hairs, which are thick and healthy.
“A woman will notice a wider-than-normal part, hair with less volume, and increased hair shedding,” she said.
If a disturbance in the body is the cause, a variety of factors are also possible.
“Telogen effluvium is a type of hair loss that causes excessive shedding around the scalp,” Emmanuel explained.
According to the expert, it is normal to shed about 50 to 100 strands of hair daily.
“When hair sheds outside this range, a person may be diagnosed with telogen effluvium,” she said.
“The normal anagen hair growth phase is cut short while more hairs move to the telogen hair shedding cycle.”
She explained that this may be the reason why you see more hair falling out.
It is important to catch hair loss early to increase your chances of saving your hair.
Sophia Emmanuel
Emmanuel said that a disturbance in the body can cause this condition to occur.
“Rapid weight loss, high stress, and nutritional deficiencies such as low iron are some examples,” she said.
The condition can be temporary or long-term, depending on the underlying cause and severity of the disturbance.
“It usually occurs three months after the event that caused the hair loss,” she explained.
“Once the disturbance is corrected, the hair growth cycle returns to normal.”
For the first step to tackle thinning, Emmanuel recommended finding out the underlying cause.
“The first step when noticing hair loss is to seek professional help from a dermatologist or trichologist,” she advised.
“This will help you identify the underlying cause of your hair loss, the type of hair loss you have, and the solutions available to help you.”
She emphasized the importance of acting fast once you notice the problem.
“When experiencing hair loss, time is of the essence, it is important to catch hair loss early to increase your chances of saving your hair,” Emmanuel said.
To help your locks, she recommended using products that strengthen your hair.
Emmanuel is the brand ambassador for V&co. Beauty and swears by the brand’s Beauty Thickening and Peptide Shampoo, available for $8 from Target.
She also advised anyone suffering from hair loss to try to manage their stress levels.
“Essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals crucial for hair growth may be lacking, causing hair loss,” she explained.
